more tv comments (sigh)

Okay, so this is the second time in a single week that I've felt compelled to remark on some silly thing I observed during a prime time show... today's gripe is over a scene in Alias.

Nadia has been in a coma for... mmmm... what, a year? So her daddy Arvin Sloane wakes her up, and shortly thereafter she goes with Jack Bristow to find out what Sloane has been up to. So far, so good. Except that, as they're tooling along in Jack's SUV, Nadia pipes up with the singularly stilted and lame observation: "So you decided to get the Ford Escape hybrid SUV," or something very close to those words, and Jack says something about how useful it is to have a "really quiet vehicle, during times like this".

Now, Nadia isn't actually a citizen of the USA, right? And, she's been globe-hopping with sis Sydney for the past coupla, until Nadia gets damaged by that big red glowy Rambaldi device, and turns into a monster before she is finally dropped into the big coma. Since when has she had time and place to become acquainted with trivia such as makes and models of vehicles? Wouldn't it have been more logical for the writers to have her ask Jack about his nifty comfy car, and have him tell her its name and virtues? I mean, come on! If you're gonna stick a commercial in the middle of a show as product placement under the guise of plot lines, at least make it sound a little less like any other television ad. Otherwise, we're right back where we were in the "Golden Age of Television", when they used to interrupt the show to do live commercials:

Tom: (Placing tennis racket on chair next to net and using towel to dab at chin) Gee, June, your teeth are really white! Are you doing something new?

June: Why, yes, Tom! (Reaches into her tennis bag, lifts out tube of product, still in its original box, and holds it next to her gleaming grin) I discovered new Crass brand tooth polish with Multipolyhexyldexylshinyspiffystuff. In just six days I've gone from zero to this! (star effect on smile) You should try it!

Tom: Wow! Where can I find Crass brand tooth polish with Multipolyhexyldexylshinyspiffystuff?

June: It's available everywhere! Come on, let's get back into the plot of our show!

We now return you to your regular Thursday nonsense. Thank you.